Railway car truck



Dec. 28, 1948. E. ascHRocK RAILWAY CAR TRUCK 2 Sheets-Sheet l I Filed Nov. 9, 1944 Dec. 28, 1948. E. B. SCHROQK RAILWAY CAR TRUCK 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 9, 1944 VIII/II [III/II V /rA f III/Ill Patented Dec. 28, 1948 RAILWAY CAR TRUCK Eugene B. Schrock, Columbus, Ohio, assignor to The Buckeye Steel Castings Company, Columbus, Ohio Application November 9, 1944, Serial No. 562,641

15 Claims. 1

This invention relates to improvements. in railway car trucks and more particularly to an adjustable truck in which the distance between the side frames may be readily and expeditiously altered to accommodate tracks or rails spaced at varying degrees from one another.

One of the objects of the invention is to supply a railway car truck in which the span of a quickwheel-change type truck bolster can be changed to accommodate two different spacings of truck side frames as might be required because of two different track gages or two different axle journal center spacings.

Another object is to provide a reversible adapter designed to cooperate with a bolster end and side frame, in a quick-wheel-change type truck to permit the side frame to be spaced at different distances from the opposite side frame.

With these and various other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the specification, drawings, and claims appended hereto.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevation, partly in longitudinal vertical section, of a truck provided with my improvements.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view, partly in horizontal section, the section being taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, partially in elevation.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the adapter saddle shown in the position which it occupies in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive.

Fig. 5 is a similar view of the adapter in reverse position.

Referring to the drawings, I designates one of the side frames which may be an integral casting comprising a compression member 2 and tension member 3, connected at the medial portion of the side frame by bolster guide columns 1 arranged at opposite sides of a bolster opening 5, at the bottom of which there is a spring seat 6.

An end of a bolster 1 extends through the bolster opening and is provided at its bottom with a transverse recess or groove 8 for the reception of the bottom plate or web 9 of a reversible column or saddle member I 0. The latter has integral upstanding column engaging portions II at its ends provided with inner substantially parallel surfaces I2 adapted to engage opposite walls l3 of the bolster. The outer surfaces of said upstanding portions are arcuate, as shown at I4, between vertical lugs l5 and I6, the latter ibeing thinner than the lugs l5. The bolster guide columns 4' have inner arcuate surfaces I'l corresponding to the surfaces I4 of the saddle and all of these surfaces are struck from a center, arranged at the intersection of the longitudinal vertical plane and transverse vertical plane of the side frame, to permit slight angling of the bolster relatively to said frame. Although parti-cylindrical surfaces are shown in the drawings, it is evident that this shape is not essential to the present invention.

The space between each pair of lugs consisting of a l-ug I5 and a lug I6, is adapted to receive a column guide, as illustrated in Fig. 2, and such lugs cooperate with the inner and outer sides of the column to limit longitudinal movement of the bolster.

The side walls I3 of the bolster are of slightly less distance from one another than the distances between the inner surfaces l2 of the adapter or saddle I0, so that the bolster may be readily detached from the saddle when desired; and the bolster has inner lugs I 8 designed to abut against the lugs I5 or I6 depending on whether they are at the inner sides of the columns instead of at the outer sides thereof.

As shown in Fig. 1, the columns are notched at I9 below the portions engaged by the saddle, so that the saddle may be readily inserted into the bolster opening or removed therefrom when the bolster supporting springs 20 are removed from the spring seat 6.

It will be noted that some of these springs bear at their upper ends against the web of the saddle, as well as against the bottom of the bolster.

The contacting surfaces between the sides of the columns 4, lugs l5 and I6 of the saddle member, the side edges of the web 9 of the saddle, and the sides of the recess 8 in the bottom of the bolster, serve to position the side frame laterally of the track with relation to the bolster. In other words, these abutting surfaces space the two side frames and determine the span of the bolster of the truck.

As the thickness of the lugs I5 is greater than thethickness of the lugs I6, a variation in the span of the bolster at each end can be made by reversing the saddle casting lugs I5 from inside (Fig. 4) to outside, as indicated in Fig. 5.

The use of the saddle casting has the further advantage of making it possible to omit the usual outer column lugs from the bolster so that the bolster may be applied to or removed from the side frame by lifting it just enough to dis engage the bolster from the web of the saddle.

The side frame, bolster and saddle may each consist of a unitary metal casting.

From the foregoing, it is believed the construction, operation and advantages of the invention may be readily understood, and it is apparent that changes may be made in the details disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention, as expressedin the following claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a truck, the combination of a side fr-ame having spaced bolster guide columns, a reversible adapter saddle slidably engaging said" columns" for a portion of the length thereof "and detach able from the columns when positioned below the places where the saddle slidably engages the columns, said saddle having pairs of inner and outer column and bolster engaging lugs," one'pa'ir of lugs being thicker than the other transversely of the truck, and abolster resting on said saddle, interlocked therewith and having abutment surfacesengageable with either pair of said lugs for varying the position of the-side frame longitu'dinally of the bolster.

2; In a truck, the combination of a side frame having spacedbolster guide columns, a reversible adapter saddle slidably engaging said columns for a portion of the length thereof and detachable" from the columns when-positioned out of'sl-idable engagement with the columns, said saddle having pairs of inner and outer columns and bolster engaging lugs, either pairof said lugs being adapted to slidably engage either the inner surfaces or the outer surfaces of the columns, and one pair of lugs being thicker than the other transversely of the truck, and a bolster resting on said saddle, interlocked therewith, and having abutment surfaces engageable with either pairof saidlugs for varying the position of the side frame longitudinally of the bolster.

3a In a truck, the combination of a side frame having'spaced bolster guide columns, a reversible adapter saddle having upstanding end portions slidably engaging said columns for a por tion of the length thereof and adapted to be detached from the columns when displaced vertical-ly relatively to the places where said end portions slidably engage the columns, said upstanding end portions being provided with pairs of inner and outer column and bolster engaging lugs, the lugs of one pair being thicker than the lugs of other of the truck, and each pair. of lugs being adapted to slidably engage the inner sides or the outer sides of the columns, and a bolster resting on said-saddle, interlocked therewith and having abutment surfacesengageable with either pair of said lugs for varying the position of the side frame longitudinally of the bolster.

4. In a truck, the combination of aside frame having spaced bolster guide co1umns,-a reversible adapter saddle slidably engaging said columns for a portion of the length thereof, said saddle having pairs of inner and outer column and bolster engaging lugs, the lugs of one pair being thicker than the lugs of the other transversely of the truck, and the lugs of either pair being. adapted to slidably engage either the inner or-th' outer sides of the columns, and a bolster resting onsaid saddle, interlocked therewith and having abutment surfaces engageable with either pair of said lugs for varying: the'positionof the side frame longitudinally of the bolster.

5. In a'truck; the combination of a side frame 4 having spaced bolster guide columns, a reversible adapter saddle slidably engaging said columns for a portion of the length thereof, said saddle having pairs of inner and outer column and bolster engaging lugs, the lugs of one pair being thicker than the lugs of the other transversely of the truck, and the lugs of either pair being adapted to' slidably eiigage either the inner or the outer sidesof tI'ie coIumns, and a bolster resting on said saddle, interlocked therewith, and

Having abutment surfaces engageable with either .pair-of-said lugs for varying the position of the side frame longitudinally of the bolster said of thebolster being spaced apart a distance less than the distance between the lugs of either pair dfdugso'f the saddle.

6. In a railway car truck, the combination of a side"frame 'having spaced bolster guide columns, reversible" means-slidably engaging said columns for a portion of the length thereof and detach able: fromthe columns when displacedvertically from'the places" where" saidmeans slidably engages the columns," said-means having pairs of inner and outer column an'dbc'rl'ste'rengaging lugs, one pair of lugs being-thicker than the other transversely of the truck, and a bolster resting on said' nieans an'd interlocked therewith, said bolster having lugs at the sides thereof adapted to abut against eitherpa'ir of the first mentioned lugs to vary the positio'n'of-the-side frame longitudinally of th'e bolster.

7. In'a truck} the combination of aside frame having spaced b olsterguide' columnsa reversible adapter saddle slidablyengag'ingsaid columns for a-por'tion of the length thereof and detachable from the columns when positioned out of slidable engagement with the columns, andabo-lster resting on said saddle, interlocked therewith andhaving abutment surfaces engageable with opposite" surfaces of said saddle for varying the position of the side frame longitud'inally of the bolster; saidbolster and saddle being so constructed ,andf'a'rranged that when one side edge of the sa'd'dl"isioutermo'st relatively tbthetrdckrhesideframe is secured to'the saddle near-erto ap'oin't mid'way'th'e' length of the bolster than when the saddle is reversed and its opposite.

edge is outermost.

8. In a truck, the combination of a side frame havingspaced bolster guide columns each providedwithinboard and outboard guidingsurfaces, a reversible saddle havingffi'rst guide surfaces adapted to slidably" engage" the inboard guiding surfaces and second guide surfaces adapted to slidablyeng'age the outboard guiding surfaceswheiithe saddle is' inflone position and to reverselylenga'gethe inboard and outboard guiding surfaces'whenthe saddle is in reversed positiomsaid saddle being detachable from the" columns when the saddle is displaced vertically beyondone end oftheinboard and outboard guidingsurfaces; a bolster supported on saidisaddle, and means on the saddle offset with respect to said inboard and outboard guiding-surfaces for interlocking the saddle with the bolster and for holdingthe side frame in one position lengthwise of the-bolster 'when the saddleis in one position,.and-.for holding. the side, frame in a different position; relatively. to the -length of the bolsterwhen-thesaddle isreversed. Y

v 9. In a, truck-,a-bolster, aqeversible adapter saddle, means interlocking the bolster with the saddle at a fixed point longitudinally of the bolster, a side frame receiving said saddle, and mutually cooperating abutment means on the side frame and saddle determining the position of the saddle transversely of the frame and displaced from the interlocking means longitudinally of the bolster whereby upon reversing the position of the saddle in the frame, the position of the frame longitudinally of the bolster is varied.

10. In a railway truck, a bolster, a reversible adapter saddle supporting the bolster, means interlocking the bolster with the saddle, a side frame receiving said saddle, and mutually cooperating vertically disposed abutment means determining the position of the saddle transversely of the frame and displaced from the interlocking means longitudinally of the bolster whereby upon reversing the position of the saddle in the frame, the position of the frame longitudinally of the bolster is varied.

11. A saddle member for use with a side frame and bolster for altering the distance between the side frames of a railway car truck comprising, a U-shaped member having an intermediate web and leg portions extending substantially at right angles from said web, a pair of spaced lugs projecting outwardly from one of said leg portions, a pair of spaced lugs projecting outwardly from the other of said leg portions, and a center line between the inner faces of each pair of lugs being displaced from the transverse center line of the web.

12. A saddle adapter for use with a side frame and bolster for altering the span between the side frames of a railway car truck comprising, a U-shaped member having an intermediate web and legs extending substantially at right angles from said web, a pair of spaced lugs projecting outwardly from one of said legs, a pair of spaced lugs projecting outwardly from the other of said legs, a line midway between the inner side faces of each pair of lugs being offset from the transverse center of the saddle, an arcuate surface on one leg intermediate one pair of lugs, and an arcuate surface on the other leg intermediate the other pair of lugs.

13. A saddle member for use with a side frame and bolster for varying the span between the side frames of a railway car truck comprising, a U-shaped member having an intermediate web and legs extending substantially at right angles from said web, a pair of spaced lugs projecting outwardly from one leg, a pair of spaced lugs projecting outwardly from the other leg, the outer side faces of said lugs being aligned with the edges of said web, and two lugs at one end of the saddle having a greater dimension measured transversely of the saddle than the other two lugs.

14. In a railway car truck, a side frame having spaced bolster guide columns, a bolster having an end portion extending through an opening in the side frame, said bolster having a groove in the bottom face thereof with end walls of the groove providing abutment shoulders, a reversible saddle having an intermediate web portion arranged in said groove with the edges thereof substantially in engagement with said abutment shoulders to prevent relative longitudinal movement between the saddle and the bolster, a pair of spaced lugs carried by said saddle for engaging side edges of one bolster guide column, another pair of spaced lugs carried by said saddle for engaging side edges of the other bolster guide column, and a line midway between the inner side faces of each pair of lugs being offset relative to the center line between said abutment shoulders.

15. In a railway car truck, a side frame having spaced bolster guide columns, a bolster extending between said guide columns, a saddle interlocked to the bolster in one position of the saddle and interlocked to the bolster in the same position longitudinally of the bolster in a reversed position of the saddle, a pair of spaced lugs carried by the saddle for engaging side edges of one bolster guide column, another pair of spaced lugs carried by said saddle for engaging side edges of the other bolster guide column, and the center line between the inner side faces of said lugs being displaced from the center line of the saddle.

EUGENE B. SCI-IROCK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 890,437 Murray June 9, 1908 1,793,574 Whitridge et a1. Feb. 24, 1931 2,243,493 Barrows May 27, 1941 2,263,759 Cottrell Nov. 25, 1941 

